Fair winds and following seas to Chief Judge Baum

The next time you see Jonathan Lurie, asking him this trivia question: who has spent the longest time as an active appellate judge in the military justice system? I would be amazed if the answer were anyone other than Joseph H. Baum. The earliest appellate decision I could find on which he sat as a judge was United States v. Smith, 5 M.J. 525 (N.C.M.R. 1976). His last published opinion on the Navy-Marine Corps Court appears to be United States v. Nicholson, 13 M.J. 928 (N-M.C.M.R. 1982). His earliest Coast Guard Court decision I could find was United States v. Kurz, 20 M.J. 857 (C.G.C.M.R. 1985). And he has continued to pump them out for the last 22 years. Can anyone beat that 28-year record?

CAAFlog has heard that Chief Judge Baum is now retiring. In the naval tradition, we wish him fair winds and following seas.